Prairie View sophomore Stevie McGuire launches in one of his attempts at claiming the state 3A triple jump title. (Photos by Aubin Skipper/Special to the Journal)
We want to thank photographer Aubin Skipper from Simply...by Aubin for providing photos from the state track meet. To see hundreds of photos from the meet, click on this link or go to https://simplybyaubin.pixieset.com/kansasstatetrack/2023day2.
WICHITA – While the Prairie View women’s track team has posted impressive wins over the past couple years, the school’s men’s team has faltered.
That changed on May 18 in Fredonia when sophomore Stevie McGuire began to hit his stride in the triple jump, becoming regional champ, with a jump of 40’10.25”.
It had been a short but not so productive season for McGuire, according to head track coach Kyle Littrell. He got a late start at practice, and wasn’t ready to compete until the Prairie View Invitational meet at the end of April.
McGuire, who also competes in the long jump and sprint events, but at the regional meet he came in midfield in all of those events.
However, something started to happen about the time of the regional meet. He became more focused on the triple jump and was just hitting his stride during the competition at the State Track and Field Championships in Wichita on Saturday, May 27.
McGuire wears his newly acquire championship medal for the longest triple jump.
He stuck his first attempt at just under 38’ followed by a second attempt at 42’7”. However, a couple of attempts later he hit his personal record of 43’11”, which was enough to win the state event. It was also in the top 50 jumps in the state.
His jump beat the second-place finisher from Norton by a little over 4”.
Littrell said that much of the credit for the jump was how focused McGuire became on doing his best.
“I’ve never seen a more focused Stevie McGuire,” Littrell said, adding that if McGuire continues to show that much focus he could become a premier triple jumper throughout the remainder of his high school career.
McGuire also plays football for the Buffalos and was a key figure in some of the more explosive plays during the season.
Littrell, who is also the head football coach at Prairie View, said he hopes McGuire’s success will help convince other football players to compete in track.
He noted that the number of men out for track increased this season, and he hopes to get that number up near 35 next year.
“You can’t have a good football team without a good track team, and you can’t have a good track team without a good football team,” Littrell said.
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